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Lemon Meringue Pie with graham cracker crumbles is one of thirty-some flavors of handmade ice cream at Kilwins in Williamsburg.
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Kilwins' freshly made ice cream bars look refreshingly inviting!
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Hazelnut gelato paired with strawberry sorbet will get your attention at Cakealicious.
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The nostalgic counter at Cakealicious provides a cozy setting to enjoy their treats.
There’s a good reason we all scream for ice cream. Nothing says summer quite like the sound of backyard grills firing up, the rhythm of flip flops, and ice cream. Even for those lucky enough to hear the bells of an ice cream truck serenading their streets, a prepackaged treat takes a back seat to hand-dipped ice cream for the quintessential summertime indulgence.
Think about it: ice cream is virtually the only food we eat frozen. That means that its flavor, which we define as a mash-up of taste and smell, is only fully released once the contents of the cone or bowl begin melting. Besides avoiding brain freeze—and who wants that?—the best reason to let your ice cream soften a bit is to fully appreciate the flavors.
Evidence abounds that ice cream was peddled in New York City as far back as the American Revolution (and Williamsburg knows a little something about revolutions). Dolley Madison scored major hostess points by serving ice cream at her husband’s inaugural ball two centuries ago and the country has been having a love affair with ice cream ever since.
Oh, sure, we got sidetracked by frozen yogurt for a while and there was that unfortunate low-fat ice cream phase in the ’90s, but the fact is we’re now in an ice cream golden age,
In Williamsburg even a first-time visitor from Duluth could manage to find a place to stop and recharge with ice cream, but locals know there are some unlikely and surprisingly grown-up places churning the ice cream maker too.
Vanilla? Ho hum. Chocolate? So what? Granted, everyone can agree that these venerable flavors will outlast us all, but funky twists on the classic creamy dessert are on the upswing. Local artisan ice cream makers are busy building devoted fan followings, thanks in no small part to unique, seasonal flavors that appeal to adventurous eaters and the ice cream curious.
Any way you scoop it, far out, fancy, and fabulous flavors have arrived in the ’burg to enhance the ice cream scene.
Cakealicious
Tucked away, this dessert and coffee bar makes a perfect stop for those with an appreciation for true gelato: anyone who’s ever been to Italy. Gelato is a lot creamier and smoother than its American counterpart but also denser. How dense? Cakealicious makes a lighter caramel hazelnut gelato especially for its milkshakes because the regular gelato is far too dense for shakes.
Fact is there’s a lot less air churned into gelato than into American ice cream, a textural difference any ice cream lover can detect
Cakealicious’s strawberry sorbet may be the creamiest thing you’ve ever put in your mouth, but it’s the burst of fresh fruit flavor that will linger on your tongue and become a delicious memory once the bowl is licked clean. Chocoholics need look no further than the densely dark chocolate, a wondrous pairing with salted caramel for when they don’t need a straight chocolate fix.
Favorite scoop: Salted caramel gelato
4268 Casey Boulevard, 757-234-4300, cakealiciousdesignstudio.com
Kilwins
Many a sweet tooth can be satisfied at Kilwins, where fudge and handcrafted chocolates lure people almost against their will, but it’s the thirty-some flavors of handmade ice cream you’ll find in the back that should be in your sights on a hot day. Once you’re able to narrow your choices down, a nearby counter provides a cozy setting for enjoying it.
Wildly popular this spring was lemon meringue pie with graham cracker crumbles, but the smiling face behind the counter admits that Marsh-Mallow S’more is his favorite. One taste of Kilwin’s Mud, shot through with chocolate and exploding with swirls of caramel, is enough to hit multiple pleasure points in the mouth and makes a fitting base for a hot fudge sundae. For a truly unique scoop, try Traverse City Cherry, a not overly sweet cherry ice cream studded with chocolate-covered cherries.
Favorite scoop: Kilwins Mud
421 Prince George Street, 757-378-2727, kilwins.com/Williamsburg
The Trellis Bar and Grill offers plenty of house-made ice cream treats including our favorite scoop, the BBR Float.
403 W. Duke of Gloucester Street, 757-229-8610, thetrellis.com
Blue Talon Bistro features perennial flavors of vanilla and burned sugar, plus chef’s special offerings.
420 Prince George Street, 757-476-2583, bluetalonbistro.com
